New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-19
How cURyo COLLECTORS ARE CHEATED

BRIc-A-BRAc MANUFACTURED To SUIT THE De
MAND FOR ALL SORTS OF RELICS.
Two Young women stood In front OF what appeared
TO be en- elegant bronze statue in bcabrac store in
Broadway. The statue represented horse orouchinl
ready to spring. and haf-nude rider cnging % his
back. The admiration OF the young women was
boundles and they exhausted all the superlatives In
giving expression to IT, One OF them could not help
batting the horses side, although the sign Hands
oil was hanging from his back. She wanted TO touch
something that had from the workshop OF OF
tho old masters. bad she carefully Examined the
horses hind hoof, reasonable doubt would have
been raised 10 whether the statue the work OF
On ancient expert There was piece clipped of the
hoot and although II small, fibre grain could
be seen In the material The beautiful figure
bronze. 1t was only papier mache and was made in
this city.
@whne 1t IL not becomirg in me-" said the pro-
prietor Of the store alter the women had gone out,
TO talk abodt my customers yet can't help IT
times. Why, have TO laugh Ia peoples faces fire.
ouently when | see how easily they are deceived by
appearances. They make up their minds that things
are genuine becau,e they look 80. This IL Why brio
a-brac buyers are 80 easily gulled IL they aIo
pleased that Is enough and they will pay four or five
prices tor something that suits their fancy. All the
customers are not inclined that way. however. had
an old woman IN here this morning to whom / gsve
some facts and figures about an old Venetian mirror
She drank in my long story with wondering eyes and
then offered SO Tor the glass.
There are soms practical people who do not place
any value upon age aud association. They are not tit
subjects for the brc-a-brao dealer. The business IL
not what IT used te aud unless you have something
really fine It Is hard TO get good price, Overuroduc-
ton has hattened the trade For every genuine relic
OF the olden time there are hundred limitations.
Brje-a-brac from China Japan was the rage, and
the mportations were heavy until about n year ago.
Then the factories in Birmingham and other places
turned the goods out rapidly that China and Japan
were overstocked. There was a big run on japanese
hronzes They were supposed TO be hammered In
Japan but were really stamped by machinery in Eng
land Americans like to be humbusged, and the larg
es: part OF this stun Is sent here.
@He-e is a case OF swords representing the STYLE of
every country-fols, Dangers and Toledo blades.
They are all supposed TO be an oien but made In
Sheffield. Tho world Is fuil OF Damascus blades made
in that cntcrprising town. Here Is real Damascus
blade 1t will cut without sign OF Injury metal that
would turn the edge OF tho Sheffield limitations. There
lie little demand ior old armor anu weapons now.
" The deception practise1 In ivory goods would
mako one believe that there was no honesty. Beauti-
full ivory cal Wings that said to have been picked
up IN the ruins of ancient city, moulded from a
mixture OF bone dust and gum which takes n high
polish. Acids put the stain OF age. mothor-oi-
pearl Is made celuloid that ould deceive
pert but IL becomes brittle and breaks easily. Here
elegant piece OF cabinet work. Sec how fine the
lines are. Yet 1t IL an i.utaton made OF wood aud
glue pressed into moulds which cut 20 well that
the fine lines of genuine carving are brought out
clearly. have seen this pressed work SO fine that
even experts have pronounced it real
" Genuine ebony Is highly priced, and there Is a
good demand for It, What is the OF trying to find
/. when au excellent imitation is made IRON beach
wood The wood is first dried, then boiled in nitrate
OF iron and soaked In loawood. The weight and
shade are almost perfect Old clocks that have
faces and solve q variety OF astronomical problems
and are supposed to have tpd the time in ancient
manor, stand in many Railways to-day and seem to
tell the story OF other days They nearly all made
in this city and are hardly old enough to tick. when
there a rage tor mummy cases. decorated In tho
fashion and colors of the time when Egypt was n
power among the nations, more than enough to supply
the demand we're made in this wicked town. In fact
everything that Is worth having in bric-a-b rac is
made here, and made WE'LL"